First off, I'm not a 4x4 newbie. I had a Jeep YJ on one tons and 42s. If anyone gives a F, they can look at it here. I sold it about a year ago because fuel for the tow rig was too expensive to tow the YJ halfway across the state, so the non street legal YJ just sat in the garage 50 weeks out of the year. I sold it and bought a Porsche 944 Turbo for my play toy


Well, now I have the 4x4 bug again. I was looking at going something cheap, so I was looking at Samurais. But then I remember how cheap Discos were. They appealed to me because they were cheap, it is something that I could drive to the trails (maybe) and I could drive it around town if I really wanted. I know I'm not going to do the same stuff I did in my YJ, but I think I'd just be happy with another 4x4.

The girlfriend is also interested (holy cow amazing, she normally doesn't give a F about 4x4s). She has a Toyota MR2, so she would like something that she could actually, function with. You know, get groceries, pick people up at the airport, get her dry cleaning, throw her bicycle in so she can go cycling, and whatever else bull**** women do. I figured that we could just share it, she can use it for what she wants, and I'll use it for what I want

So, I've done some research, but I'm still gathering information. So far, all I'm working with is Wikipedia, and the general things I remember hearing/reading about on 4x4 trips and randomly seeing on PBB over the past few years (I never really frequented this section of the forum unless there was something really cool). I think I want a Disco series 1. They're cheaper, and I think I'd like a pre ODBII vehicle for ease of fixing things. Is that the consensus? Is stuff like the ABS/Airbags a bitch? My YJ didn't have those and I bought a 1986 Porsche 944 just to stay away from air bags and ABS.

Also, I hear tons of people talking **** about Land Rovers. But honestly, how bad are they? I mean as long as parts are available and literature to fix it is available, I don't see it being so bad. People said the same thing about my Porsche, and I have no problems fixing it. I mean I can rebuild transfer cases, do ring and pinions, build engines, suspension fab, not to mention having to work on the Porsche.

Are there any sites that have general FAQs that tell what to look for, what commonly fails, what is good/crappy about them? So far the only info I can find seems to be that they have weak *** axles (I've seen the pics, they look like Samurai axles in size and are 10 spline??????). What are the things that commonly fail? Not just with the type of abuse that us 4x4 guys give it, but just in general. Every vehicle I've delt with has its share of "xxxx will fail" so I know these will have their share. What is the consensus with manual vs. auto tranny? My YJ had an auto and I don't have any crawling experience with a manual. However, both the girlfriend and I drive manual transmission (in her Toyota, my Porsche, and two of my three previous DD vehicles).

Anyway, just looking for information. Google searches seem to just pull up crap. I have the holidays to do nothing but research, which I am good at, as long as I have someplace to start.

I've also found a Disco with a "blown head gasket" for $1600 OBO (I'm going to go look at it today, and I bet the guy might take less). Anyway, I've been sending him a few emails, and what scares me is that the engine will turn over but not start. I've done some searching and it seems that head gasket repair is very common, doign a head gasket job won't bother me too much. However, what does everyone think about the "engine will turn over but not start" aspect of things?


THANKS!

 

DI is a great choice, specifically for some one avid into wheeling as I can tell from your YJ They run from 94-mid 99 (in the states) so some still have ODBII but they're all really the same truck. If the ABS goes just yank the fuse, that's what I'm doing with mine when it goes. The airbags aren't generally problematic and can probably removed if you know what you're doing.

As for people saying Rovers aren't good trucks, or they aren't reliable, I say those people don't know what they're talking about. The things that people say they're not reliable for include bull**** like power windows not working and wind noise. And as for the Discos that have had tons of parts replaced and only lasted 100-150k miles, that's all just user neglect. The one thing you need to do on a Disco is just take care of it. Stay on top of regular maintenance, use high quality parts and fluids and your truck will last at least 300k miles, and that's if you drive it hard. With your mechanical experience you'll have no problem maintaining a Disco to perfect condition.

The axles are actually very strong, I think I remember some one on this forum comparing it to the Dana 44.

This is the site to go for for information. I think between Spike555 and Discomike you will have any question you could ever ask about Discos answered.

As for that Disco, it sounds like it may be a decent project truck. This one is probably a DII though, because the coolant in it turns corrosive if you don't change it, which is why so many DIIs have head gasket problems. I think you'll have to tell the seller to bring it to autozone and have the codes read and post them here. That's the only way we can get an accurate idea of what's wrong and where to start.

But overall, just from looking at your jeep, and your experience with other past vehicles, I think you'll be a Rover expert in a few weeks. Take me for example. I'm a 19 year old student studying finance of all things. At the start of the summer I didn't know **** about my truck other than it requires premium gas. Now my girlfriend says I'm obsessed with the thing. All just basically from reading posts on this site.

Did I forget anything?

 

dont look to spike for help,,

he just mocks you. he is a bad bad man

 

Well, I just came back from looking at the one with the blown head gasket. A blown head gasket and about 500 other things is what it needs. I can't believe how something 10 years old can be so beat to crap. I offered the guy $400 for it. It obviously had been neglected for years.

 

if he'll give it to you for 400 you could use it for a parts truck. It's gotta be worth at least 2 grand in parts alone.

But yeah if not I'd consider looking around some more. Wait a while and look carefully and you'll find one cheap that's still in good condition.

 

Well, that's the thing. He said that he'd sell it for $1200. The interior looked like a bum was sleeping in it for the past few years, the exterior looked like someone washed it with a sponge made out of steel wool, and since it wouldn't start I have no idea if the drivetrain was working. I told him it was a complete shot in the dark so $400 is all I'd spend.

Seems like I can get a decent one for $4k, and I'd spend more then that to fix this one up.